From the deadly serious to the downright barmy

The Christmas issue is the usual cocktail of the deadly serious, the poignant, the speculative, the frivolous, and the downright barmy. Most of the material is submitted rather than commissioned, giving insight into what's on the medical mind. Last year it was death, this year it's hedonism: sex, drink, golf, chocolates, and overindulgence (p 1637). One subject that doesn't feature is religion, raising again the question whether we should rename the Christmas issue. The “midwinter issue” would strike a discordant note in the southern hemisphere, while the “end of the year issue” …